


Bit of an Odd Bird

by orphan_account



Category: Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. (TV)
Genre: Academy Era Fitzsimmons, Angst, F/M, Feels, Fluff, Friendship, Gen, pre-SHIELD
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-02-13
Updated: 2015-08-12
Packaged: 2018-03-12 05:35:57
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 6
Words: 4,004
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3345482
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/orphan_account
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Fitz has just moved to America to train to be a engineer for the mysterious S.H.I.E.L.D. but he can't help but to notice the mysterious girl in his class. The one who never speaks.</p><p>*ON HOLD DUE TO SCHOOL*</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter One

She was in most of his classes. The girl with that soft brown hair, just flowing past her shoulders, the skin as pale as porcelain, and glasses with large frames. She was beautiful, he though but she kept to herself and rarely talked to anyone. No, scratch that. She never talked. He saw her most days of the week, in most of his classes. And he had never once seen her open her mouth and had never once heard her talk.  
It had been three weeks now and no body seemed to want anything to do with her. And by her outward appearance, she seemed to be fine with this, moving from class to class with no one but herself. But that wasn't the worst. She never ate dinner in the canteen, she ordered it to go and headed back in the general direction of the student halls. She never went down to the Boiler Room. He didn't go often, once a week. But still, every first year went except her.  
The one thing he did know was that she was seventeen, like him. That she had won a scholarship to the S.H.I.E.L.D Academy, like him. He didn't know anything else about her but he wanted to. He knew what it was like to be lonely, to have no one. He had had no one the whole way through high school, had been the lowest of the low and no matter how hard he tried, climbing the social ladder, it wasn't going to happen. He was never going to be popular. And after a while, he just made his peace with that. Some people were sporty, some people were popular and some people were smart. He didn't fit into any of those categories. He couldn't play sports for the life of him. Who would be friends with him? And he was smart. Too smart. No one would hang out with him as they felt intimidated by his intelligence.  
But, he didn't want that to happen to her. That girl. She didn't deserve it. But what could he do to befriend her.  
The Thursday of their third week there, they were in a different lecture room. He had gotten there before the rest of the class and she had arrived late. She walked in just before the class started and stared at their teacher, Agent Anne Weaver. She just gave the girl a sad smile and nodded her head encouragingly. The girl seemed to swallow hard and looked around the room, her eyes falling on him for a moment too long. He had taken the seat in the furthest corner of the room, where there was little light. The seat in most other rooms that she took. To hide away from everyone. But there was only one seat left. At the front. And she took it. Unwillingly.  
All through the class, he was distracted, so distracted that he almost missed her name.  
"Miss Simmons," Agent Weave called out just before the lesson ended. "Would you mind staying behind?" It was a question, rather than a demand.  
The girl whose name, he presumed, was Simmons, looked up and nodded her head ever so slightly. He noticed the ripples of hair as she did so, cascading over her back. It was like silk. So perfect. As quick as she did that, she buried her head in her work again.  
The bell rang, announcing the end of the lesson, and the day. The class made their way down the steps of the lecture room. As soon as he stood up, he heard the characteristic sound of ripping. The stitches of his bag giving up. He cursed and crouched down, hidden in the shadows of that dark corner.  
And that's when he heard her speak for the first time. It was an English accent that she spoke in and it was beautiful. He had no words to describe it but it made him think, made him wonder why she never spoke. He set his file back down on the ground and listened to her speak rapidly to Agent Weaver. Then, the thought crossed his mind of getting out of there. There was probably an excellent reason that she never spoke and he shouldn't be breaking her right to that. Plus, this was a private conversation. And he didn't want to get in trouble for eavesdropping. His first month wasn't even over yet.  
He gathered the rest of his items, and stood up. Not realising he was still under the table. His head made contact with the wood and he cursed, rubbing his head as he rose. He spun around to find both women staring at him. Agent Weaver was staring more intently at him. The other girl, Simmons, kept her eyes on the ground but they kept flickering up to him.  
Agent Weaver, he was surprised, had a look of pity and sympathy on her face, opposed to the one of anger that he had expected. "Sorry," he mumbled, now also looking at his feet. He quickly made his way down the carpeted stairs, stumbling halfway down. It was really not his day.  
He mumbled another apology and said his farewells as he brushed past the senior agent, who was now shaking her head, as if she couldn't believe him or what was happening.  
Finally, he was out of the dark, somewhat cosy room into the bright, bustling halls of the S.H.I.E.L.D. Academy. Today, he decided had not been his day. He was going to get something to eat then spend the rest of his night, alone in his room. Doing something that he couldn't mess up.  
So not homework.  
Or anything involving electricity.  
He shook his head, as if banishing the thoughts from his head. He didn't realise he had been standing in the corridor, or how long he had been standing there for. But it was now empty. And that's when he heard the sound of running footsteps behind him. He started walking further down the corridor, not knowing that they belonged to someone who was looking for him.  
"Leo!"  
That's what caused him to look around. Someone calling out his name. His forename. The one that no one used, even his mother used.  
He spun around to find her standing there. Simmons. A smile across her face. An actual smile. One where her eyes smiled as well. And that's when he noticed how full of life her eyes were. And how there seemed to be an undying thirst for knowledge.  
He smiled back at her, causing her smile to grow larger, though he wasn't sure how that was possible.  
Her messenger bag bouncing against her legs, she said two words.  
"Thank You."


	2. Chapter Two

"Thank you."   
He must have stared at her blankly because she tilted her head slightly to the left, looking at him as if he were a puzzle she were trying to figure out.  
"Pardon?" he said, bringing his hand to the back of his neck and rubbing it.   
"Thank you."  
He look of confusion must still have been there because she had started to elaborate. "For making me smile." When she said this, her eyes lit up. He noticed how soft a brown they were and how full of curiosity and joy they were.  
"Don't worry about it."  
"It was the first time I smile since I came here."   
This statement threw him and he noticed just how young she was. She held out her hand. "Jemma Simmons. But everyone just calls me Simmons."  
He took it in his, "Leopold Fitz. But everyone just calls me Fitz."   
They both stood there awkwardly, not knowing what to say. But finally, he broke the silence. "Do you want to get something to eat."  
She looked down, "I don't know anyone."  
"You know me."  
She looked up at this. "Who do you sit with?"  
"Myself."  
"Doesn't that get lonely?"  
He shook his head. "I have earphones in and a book. But, you..." He trailed of when she looked down again. "It can't be healthy sitting in your room by yourself all the time."  
She looked up, tears starting to gather in her eyes and he wondered if he'd said the wrong thing. "I don't want it to be like high school."  
"I promise it won't be." He didn't know what had happened to her in her high school, if it had been anything like his. And if it was, well, he wouldn't wish that upon anyone. Not even the people who had caused him that much pain. "I swear it won't be."  
She nodded.   
"You coming," he said, turning slightly and she nodded again.  
They walked to the canteen in silence and ordered in silence. Finally, after having gotten the table in the furthest corner, did she speak again. "They hurt me."  
He looked up at this.   
"At my old school. They hurt me."  
And that's when he realised that she'd had it worse than him.  
So much worse.  
"So," she continued. "I learnt to keep quiet. I was thirteen when I learnt this. I learnt not to speak up in class. Learnt not to talk to anyone. The only time I spoke was after school to teachers. Then at home."  
He had no words for this so she just continued.   
"Then, on my sixteenth birthday last years, I got my letter from S.H.I.E.L.D. to say I could start here. And I was so happy. Happy to get away from the hell hole that was my high school."  
He shook his head, showing that he understood every word that she said. "I thought I had it bad."  
She looked at him. "I'm sorry."  
It was his turn to shake his head. "Don't be. People can be cruel and horrid at times but if you find the right person..." he let the sentence die, not knowing where he was going next. "Have you heard about the Boiler Room?" he asked, changing the subject.  
She shook her head a little too violently, causing her glasses to slid down her nose. She pushed them back up with her index finger. "Well, kind of. Just heard it in the passing. What is it?"  
And he explained, watching her eyes light up. "You have to go," he concluded. "I go once a week. Friday."  
"We have to go tomorrow," she said, her voice dripping with enthusiasm.   
He nodded.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Marvel owns all.  
> Thanks for reading.


	3. Chapter Three

Plans can change at the last minute, and with Simmons, they did. She sent a text saying to Fitz that she couldn't do it, not tonight. She couldn't go to the Boiler Room. Not tonight, anyway. She said that he could go on and she would order food in. She said she was fine and not to worry but he thought it was appropriate to ignore and appeared at her door with pizza. And she wasn't angry, or annoyed, she was happy. Happy that someone was giving up their Friday night to spend it with her.   
"I got you just cheese," he began, standing there awkwardly, holding the pizza. She invited him in, and so began one of the best Friday nights of her life.  
They talked, not about their lives, he didn't want to invade her personal life, he was going to wait for her to bring it up again. She didn't ask about his, again like him, waiting for him to bring it up. They talked science and how she wanted to travel the world. How she wanted to visit Peru, Italy and Dublin, among other places. How she wanted to help people. How she wanted to save the world and to make a difference.   
He talked about how he wanted to improve the technology and weaponry that S.H.I.E.L.D. used, how not all bullets had to be fatal and how they could simply render the person unconscious instead. And her eyes seemed to light up at this.  
The next four hours were spent designing the gun, but after much deliberation of what should be designed first. She had argued that that what ever was going to be used in the bullets should be designed first, and they could work backwards, designing the gun around the bullets. But he had argued back, that because she didn't know what she wanted to use in the bullets, that there was no point. She wanted to continue to argue but she knew when she was beat and once she acknowledged this, Fitz noticed a flash of sadness in her eyes but as soon as he noticed it, it was gone. He tried to forget about it but couldn't. Did that flash of sadness come from one to many unhappy experiences in school.  
It was after midnight when he left and he promised to text her as soon as he got home, ensuring her that nothing bad happened to him as he walked across campus.  
She got the text as she was ensuring that everything was switched off in her apartment. And she fell asleep with a smile on her face that night.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Finally updated... Marvel owns all


	4. Chapter Four

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the long wait in between chapters.... I've an idea of where I want to go but have no idea how to get there yet and I'm so sorry about it's lenght

Early that Saturday morning, Fitz got a text from Jemma, saying for him to come over, that they could work on the homework Weaver gave them. He replied, saying that he would come over, but she should leave the homework until tomorrow, that they should go into town and relax. 

He knocked on her door, as soon as he crossed the campus. 

"Come in!" her voice called from inside, and he entered, and found her putting her hair up into a pony tail, then placing the glasses on the face. 

"Hey," he said, and stood awkwardly, not wanting to sit down because he knew that as soon as he sat down he would have to get up again. 

"You ready?" She asked, realising that as soon as she said it, what a stupid question she'd asked. "Of course you're ready, why wouldn't you be?" She rambled on, only to stop when he said her name.

"Simmons, it's Ok," he gave her a smile. She smiled back at him, glad to have found a friend in him. But was this friendship? Could you really be friends with someone after knowing them for only a number of hours? She shook that thought from her head. He must have seen her, he looked like he was going to say something but in the end he didn't. 

"Let's go," was all he said as they left and she locked the door behind her.

***

The autumn sun beat down on them, not hot enough to be annoying but warm enough that it somewhat pleasant. They took lunch in a cafe, sitting under an umbrella in the sun. She got a salad, and he just a sandwich. They talked some more, more about what careers that they had hoped to pursue before they were given a place here in America.

"I'd wanted to go into medical research," she said, stirring her tea, and looking past him, to the bust street behind him. At all the people living their lives, maybe going to work, maybe coming home for work. Maybe taking the kids out for the day. Maybe, maybe, maybe. So many possibilities. So many options.

"That's amazing, and... wow." He had no words for this, again he was rendered speechless by her. By her selflessness.

"But what about you?" she asked and he began his story on his love for engineering.

***

The day passed in a blur of bookshops, librarians and the small local museum. The sun was setting when a yawn escaped Jemma.

"Wanna head back?" he asked and she nodded. The next bus was leaving the station in ten minutes he realised, looking down at his watch and realised at the pace at which they were walking that it would take them twenty minutes to get back, and if it they took that long, they'd have to wait an hour then. Unless.... 

No they couldn't. It was too risky. But..

"It'll be an hour if we walk as we'll have to wait, or five mins for the alley, but it's risky," he said.

She shook her head. "What's the worst that could happen?"

***

Everything had happened so fast. He didn't even see the guy with the blade. Didn't even see him approach Jemma. Didn't even hear his shouts for their money. Just heard her gasp of pain, watched as she stumbled forward and he didn't even want to watch the man run off.

He just held her, begging her to hold on as blood seeped through his fingers and the sounds of sirens in the background blocked out everything, including her soft sobs.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Marvel owns all and I'm sorry for the ending...


	5. Chapter Five

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for long wait, had exams

She was lying on the bed, in the Med Unit at the Academy. She had been transferred there from the local hospital. Fitz had no idea how much power S.H.I.E.L.D. had, but he knew it was a lot. But he was just glad the worst of it was over and she was no in the clear.

The first night was the worst. He had to phone her parents, two people he barely knew and tell them that their daughter, a woman he barely knew, that he had hung out with three times had been attacked, had been stabbed on the streets. 

It was the worst phone call he had to ever make and he hoped there and then that he would never have to make a phone call like that again.

It was the Monday when she was transferred, still asleep. There were whispers as he left to get food. It bothered him, not because they were talking about him but they were talking about her, and he hated that. 

Early Tuesday morning was when she opened her eyes, blinked a number of times before catching his own, a shocking blue that she had grown to love these past couple of days.

"Hey," she said, her voice barely a whisper. "Hey."

He smiled down at her, one tinged with sadness. "How you feeling?"

"Sore, but then again being stabbed does have that effect on you."

He couldn't help but laugh at this. Here she was, awake after nearly three days of sleep, cracking jokes about getting stabbed. She was tough, he couldn't help but think. "The guy who did it, they've not caught him yet." He saw her face fall, and heard the whisper of an "Oh" escape from her mouth. "But they're looking out for him, they've sent two agents into town under cover and the local authorities are also looking out."

"So they're working together?" she asked, adjusting herself in the bed and let out a gasp of pain. 

He nodded. "You Ok?" he asked, once he heard her gasp of pain, knowing it was a stupid question but having no idea what to say. He'd never been in this situation.

"Yeah, just hurts when I move." She smiled up at him. "Thank you."

"What? Why?" He was confused. Why was she thanking him. What had he done.

"You saved me."

He shook his head. He wasn't a hero, he hadn't saved her.

"You did, Leopold Fitz." He cringed at her name, but whether she didn't see or just decided to ignore the fact her did, well he didn't know. "If it hadn't been for you," she shook her head, not wanting to continue but both knowing what could have happened.

Tears started to stream down her face and he rushed to sit on the bed beside her as she buried her face in his shoulder, sobbing. He rubbed reassuring circles with his hand on her back. And in-between the sobs she whispered into his shoulder, "And thank you for being my friend."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As usual Marvel owns all.


	6. Chapter Six

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry it's been so long since I have updated, other fic got in the way. Thanks for all the support, you guys are the reason I do this and I couldn't do it without you. Hope you enjoy.

Everyone said that he was the hero, that he had saved her life. But he didn't think of it like that. It was his fault that she was... that she was... that she was stabbed. 

If they had stayed in, stayed in and made a start in their homework, then this wouldn't have happened. She wouldn't have been attacked. 

It was his fault.

He had gotten her hurt.

And she was still his friend. 

He couldn't bear that, Couldn't bear the fact that she was still talking to him, still cared for him. 

He wanted to pull away, let her find someone who wouldn't cause her pain, hurt her.

But pulling away from her would do just that. So he didn't. He would live with this guilt. It was possible. It could have been worse.

But it wasn't. She was still here. She had survived. In a sense, he had saved her.

By being there for her.

***

She was released from the Med Unit Thursday night, but took the rest of the week off, which she spent sleeping in her dorm, recovering. Nightmares plagued her, causing her to wake, shaking and covered in a cold sweat. The pills that she had been given by the doctor helped only slightly, but she was thankful for all the help that she got.

Saturday evening was spend with Fitz, her in her pyjamas and Fitz in casual, comfortable clothes for lounging, a massive pizza between the two of them, with more sides than they probably needed; garlic bread, potato wedges, and chicken strips (accompanied with the obligatory, childish jokes).

There was music on in the background, creating something to fill the pleasant silences that occurred often between them. 

About halfway through the pizza (and less than half way through the many, many sides they had ordered), the lights suddenly flickered, then went out altogether.

Fitz just gave a sigh of annoyance, this was the last thing that they needed.

"I'll check the other dorms, see if it's just me or what not," Jemma said, getting up. She knew that he was going to protest, say that she needed her rest, but she had had that. Nearly a week of rest. "Candles are in the cabinet above the sink," she simply stated, wrapping the blanket around her.

She padded across the wooden floor, and opened her door, peering up and down the hallway. Many others in the hallway where doing the same, shrugging at one another, and asking the same question over and over again, phrased slightly differently each time.

One girl, blonde pixie cut, noticed Jemma first and called down to her, asking her if she was okay. 

"Yeah," Jemma called back, glad that someone had noticed her, glad that someone was considering her feelings. Something that, up until she met Fitz, hadn't really occurred before.

"That's great! Gonna be in Advanced Bio on Monday?"

"Hopefully."

The girl nodded, well, at least Jemma presumed she did. The hall was only lit up by the light coming in from the window at the far end, casting a golden glow over everything. 

Jemma came back in, and sat back down on the sofa, curling her legs beneath her. "Whole floor is out, must be something wrong with the whole building then."

Fitz, meanwhile, was busy lighting candles, filling the room with warm glow they emitted, casting shadows that danced on the walls. They didn't light up the whole room, but they lit up enough.

The part of the room that was lit up had a slightly sinister glow to it, lighting up the two scientists faces.

"This is now slightly romantic. Like a date," Jemma joked, then immediately regretted it. She didn't know his feelings towards her. She didn't know if he felt the same about her. She was falling for him yes, but she didn't know if he was falling for her. He probably wasn't.

"I... I mean..." she stuttered, knowing what she wanted to say, but being unable to produce the words, like they were stuck in the back of her throat.

But Fitz knew what she meant. "Like a platonic date?"

She nodded. "A platonic date."

But she didn't know that he was also falling for her. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Everything I'm writing (except Three Unspoken Words, which shall be ignored here) is fluff, something that was unusual for me... Anyway, thanks for reading and hoped you enjoy.  
> Marvel owns all.

**Author's Note:**

> Hope you enjoyed!  
> I own nothing, Marvel owns all.


End file.
